name='keywords'/> Dance of the Phoenix: April 2016

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Friday, April 29, 2016

Taurus Season and Mercury Retrograde



The season of Taurus is in full bloom these days with the Sun, Mercury, and Venus about to enter Taurus at 8:36 pm on April 29th.  And there is a new moon in Taurus coming up on May 6, 2016.  The sun in Taurus is a time to seek out our values and truth, since it is ruled by Venus.  Venus is now a very happy camper in the sign of Taurus because it rules Taurus and Libra.  Venus is exalted in the sign of Pisces, so consider yourself very lucky if your natal Venus is in any of those signs.  When Venus is in Taurus, we are hard wired to appreciate the finer things in life like good food, wine and are prone to large doses of retail therapy.  Retailers should see increases in their sales during this transit, which lasts until May 24, 2016.

The best way to capitalize on this Taurus energy is to do everything we can to get grounded.  Spring is here, so get outside and feel that earth energy.  Engaging in a daily spiritual practice such as meditation will also act as a compass to ground you so that you are open to receive.  Taurus is all about planting seeds for the future and creating substance for your vision.  That is what earth signs do best, after all.

Then there is the astrological elephant in the room.  Mercury stationed retrograde in 23 degrees of Taurus on April 28th, prompting me to tweet:

“Big day astrologically as it is 1st official day of #MercuryRetrograde.  Expect delays in communication & transportation until late May.”

Mercury stations direct in 14 degrees of Taurus on May 22, 2016, but for those of us who subscribe to the shadow theory (and I am a firm believer), then we are not truly out of the woods with Mercury retrograde until it leaves it shadow on June 7, 2016 in 23 degrees of Taurus.  Mercury entered the retrograde shadow period on April 14th, and I have been feeling it since mid-April.  I have endured power failures and major hassles with public transportation.  Just last week I was waiting for an MBTA train and the station sign said the next one would arrive in 2 minutes.  It was TEN minutes before the next train arrived.  Of course no explanation was offered for the delay. And the fare machines at three different MBTA stations were not reading credit cards with chip technology.  All of these events occurred before Mercury stationed retrograde, but while it was in the retrograde shadow. Get my drift???

How will Mercury retrograde in the sign of Taurus play out?  Well, since Taurus is ruled by Venus, don’t be surprised if old lovers suddenly reappear.  Mercury retrograde is renowned as a time when you hear from people you knew in the past, and the Venus influence on Taurus, stronger still with Venus in Taurus, can trigger visits or messages from past lovers.  But Mercury retrograde in Taurus is also an optimal time to stabilize our finances.  While we may definitely feel the siren call to engage in some retail therapy, we need to be mindful that those credit card bills will require payment in the not too distant future.  Remember the re in retrograde and regroup. Mercury retrograde is definitely not a good time to launch any new ventures, especially with Mars retrograde to boot and we may find ourselves having to exercise more patience with others because Taurus has a tendency to move and speak slowly. I think it goes without saying that one shouldn’t sign any contracts, purchase electronic goods or vehicles, or take a new job while Mercury is retrograde if at all possible.  I confess, patience is NOT my strong suit.  And with Mercury retrograde in Taurus opposing my Scorpio planets and squaring my Mars in Aquarius, I will be struggling big time with the patience piece.

The north node in Virgo has an underlying theme of service to others.  In that spirit of pursuing my path as a healer, I am channeling that north node and Jupiter in Virgo energy by offering my Reiki services. If you are in the Boston area, please consider getting a Reiki treatment at Acupuncture for Everyone in Copley Square to destress, revitalize and remove blockages to healing.  It’s a perfect way to start your weekend off and can also be described as a spa for the soul to boot!   Reiki is the most profound treatment for stress relief because it concentrates on CALMING your body. 

For more information on my Reiki services, please see this page on my site:


For my clients who can’t fit Friday into their schedule for a treatment or have difficulty traveling, I have also recently begun doing distance Reiki sessions for them.  I have a conversation with them about what they hope to achieve from a session, we set up a time for the session to take place when they will be in a state to receive healing energy and I follow up with a telephone conversation to discuss their experience and my perception of their blockages.  I have also incorporated a new technique with my distance Reiki treatments since I don’t always have a photo of my client.  I use a teddy bear so that I can scan and focus the healing energy where it is needed.  Talk about regrouping and revising during a Mercury retrograde! If this appeals to you, please feel free to contact me by email at lindasim54@gmail.com or call me at 617-304-2205.

I have also recently become a member of the Fellowship of Massachusetts Energywork Practitioners.  It is a great resource for those seeking energyworkers.  Please feel free to check out this site at:


The link to my profile is below:


If you are contemplating an astrological reading to obtain more insight in your life, especially with the recent eclipses in March and all of the action in April with the recent new moon in Aries, full moon in Scorpio, not to mention Mars, Pluto and Mercury joining Saturn and Jupiter in the retrograde party, you can learn more about my menu of astrological services at:



Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter for my daily astrological insights at:


Friday, April 22, 2016

Full Moon in Scorpio Ramps up the Emotional Intensity


Scorpio is ruling the roost astrologically, so to speak.  Its two ruling planets, Mars and Pluto, went retrograde on April 17th and 18th respectively, and on April 22nd we have a full moon in 2 degrees of Scorpio. This full moon will deliver a lot of emotional intensity and longstanding secrets may be revealed.  This is huge for Scorpios because of their intrinsically secretive nature. A major theme of the moon in Scorpio opposing the Taurus sun is Scorpio’s need to change and transform conflicting with the Taurus need for personal security.

How is this going to play out?  My tweets on the full moon reflected the energy of the day:

“#FullMoon in Scorpio today trines Neptune in Pisces which can feel hypnotic, but also offers opportunities to reclaim power & end victim role.”

“Venus conjuncts Uranus in Aries today & they square #PlutoinCapricorn.  Deep emotions may suddenly surface & conflict with security needs.”

So this full moon in Scorpio prominently features Neptune, Venus and Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn stirring the emotional pot.  Venus conjunct Uranus can bring some unpredictable emotions, but it can also manifest in financial upsets.  With both Venus and Uranus squaring Pluto during this full moon, there could be major financial and government upheavals. The Venus Uranus conjunction in Aries squares my Cancer midheaven, so I’m not ruling out any surprises on that score.

While a Scorpio full moon is definitely intense and not for lightweights, it doesn’t have to be all gloom and doom.  There can be positive energy present and pleasant surprises can occur if we remain open to it.

Mercury in 21 degrees of Taurus will be favorably trining the north node in Virgo on the day of the full moon, which will increase the likelihood of our being open to new ideas that support us as we embark on our soul’s path.  And while Mercury automatically sextiles the south node in Pisces, we have another favorable aspect that empowers us to let go of our past in the form of karmic baggage that is no longer serving our best interests.

Jupiter in Virgo is another team player in this Scorpio full moon.  It trines Pluto in Capricorn and will also sextile the moon in Scorpio.  These aspects can lend a note of optimism to this deeply intense, complex full moon.  Just be mindful of Jupiter in Virgo squaring Saturn in Sagittarius, as this will undoubtedly make us more aware of the challenges and limitations we face in love relationships and finances.  Discipline and patience will be required in order to achieve our goals.  I realize that no one likes to hear the lecture about patience (least of all myself, with a natal Saturn squaring both my sun and Mars, and a cardinal T-square to boot), but hopefully the Taurus sun will instill in us the need to plant some seeds that will yield a fruitful harvest.

This full moon in Scorpio is conjunct my Mercury, which will bring me increased emotional sensitivity and intuition, as well as the potential for volatile mood swings.  I will need to make sure that my emotional attachments don’t cloud my perception.  This piece could get rather tricky, because my natal Neptune in Libra forms an out of sign conjunction with that Mercury in Scorpio.  The full moon may be great for my work because of the increased intuition it brings, but there may be an emotional cost.  I experienced a great deal of frustration with communication and transportation issues (typical Mercury stuff) on April 21st, so the full moon intensity is alive and well in my chart!

I would wager that Hillary Clinton will benefit favorably from this full moon in Scorpio.  It is exactly conjunct her Scorpio sun and I am convinced that her solid win in the New York primary earlier this week was evidence of that full moon conjuncting her sun. Full moons are about endings, and if nothing else, her New York win certainly slowed down her competition’s recent winning streak. She has waged a hard fought battle with Bernie Sanders for the Democratic nomination for President, and she may very well be coming to the end of that journey.

The north node in Virgo has an underlying theme of service to others.  In that spirit of pursuing my path as a healer, I am channeling that north node and Jupiter in Virgo energy by offering my Reiki services. If you are in the Boston area, please consider getting a Reiki treatment at Acupuncture for Everyone in Copley Square to destress, revitalize and remove blockages to healing.  It’s a perfect way to start your weekend off and can also be described as a spa for the soul to boot!   Reiki is the most profound treatment for stress relief because it concentrates on CALMING your body. 

For more information on my Reiki services, please see this page on my site:


For my clients who can’t fit Friday into their schedule for a treatment or have difficulty traveling, I have also recently begun doing distance Reiki sessions for them.  I have a conversation with them about what they hope to achieve from a session, we set up a time for the session to take place when they will be in a state to receive healing energy and I follow up with a telephone conversation to discuss their experience and my perception of their blockages.  If this appeals to you, please feel free to contact me by email at lindasim54@gmail.com or call me at 617-304-2205.

I have also recently become a member of the Fellowship of Massachusetts Energywork Practitioners.  It is a great resource for those seeking energyworkers.  Please feel free to check out this site at:


The link to my profile is below:


If you are contemplating an astrological reading to obtain more insight in your life, especially with the recent eclipses in March and all of the action in April with the recent new moon in Aries, full moon in Scorpio, not to mention Mars, Pluto and Mercury joining Saturn and Jupiter in the retrograde party, you can learn more about my menu of astrological services at:



Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter for my daily astrological insights at:


Friday, April 15, 2016

Pluto Retrogrades as We Prepare for Some Deep Thinking about Power

Pluto is the planet associated with power and powerlessness and as it prepares to station retrograde in 17 degrees of Capricorn on April 18, 2016, I think that we should all consider the prospect of hunkering down and engaging in some deep soul searching until it stations direct in 14 degrees of Capricorn on September 26, 2016.  It’s really the only way to reap the benefits of this five month long transit.  Pluto stations retrograde one day after Mars stations retrograde in 8 degrees of Sagittarius on April 17th, which means that Scorpios are going to feel the effects of these retrogrades very intensely.  How could we not when our ruling planets are involved? Even if you are not a Scorpio or have Scorpio planets, you will not escape the effects of this transit, so don’t even think you are immune from its effects.

I loved what fellow astrologer Molly Hall had to say about Pluto retrograde in her weekly about.com astrology blog.  I concur with her succinct assessment that Pluto retrograde’s connection with power and powerlessness calls to mind the Serenity Prayer being helpful in dealing with Pluto retrograde.  She said that Pluto retrograde requires us to determine what we are in control of and what is bigger than us.  That is definitely sage advice.

In case you are not familiar with the Serenity Prayer, I am including it here:

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.”

I think that this also resonated for me personally because I spoke about the need to surrender in my last blog with all of these retrograde planets.  By the end of April, we will have Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Pluto and Mercury retrograde.  In many ways, Pluto transits can be compared to the process of recovery—sometimes you just have to hit rock bottom so that you can move forward and into that light at the end of the tunnel.

Pluto retrograde in Capricorn will be showing us the structures that are holding us back as they are shattered.  In the United States, this is playing out in the arena of finances and government.  The upcoming Presidential. Election is a prime example of this.  The last time Pluto was in Capricorn was during the American Revolution.  Need I say more???

All is not gloom and doom, however. We have a Grand Earth Trine from April 14- 20, 2016 involving Jupiter in 14 degrees of Virgo, Pluto in 17 degrees of Capricorn and Mercury in 15 degrees of Taurus.  This is a great time to reach out and ask for help from others because all of this earth energy encourages and empowers us to ask for help.  As a Scorpio, I can tell you this does not come naturally.  Scorpios by nature are reserved, private and self-reliant.  We are quite comfortable with the phrase that Brene Brown calls “over functioning” in her book Rising Strong.  She defines this as stuffing your own feelings so that you help others to the point of controlling too much and tying your self-worth into being such a helper that when you need to ask for help you feel shame.  I don’t think that it is a coincidence that she is a Scorpio, born on November 18th.

On a personal level, this Grand Earth Trine is playing out with Jupiter at the end of my 11th house, Pluto is still in my 3rd house and Mercury is in my 8th house.  This is hardly a time to go it alone.  In that spirit of reaching out, I recently added a Donate button on my Services Offered page of my blog so that anyone who has felt inspired or helped by my work can make an offering in the amount of their choice to support this blog.

On April 10th I attended a Reiki conference and found myself incredibly inspired by Kathie Lipinski’s talk on Making Reiki Real. As a healer, I loved what she said about needing to set boundaries and not taking on other people’s stuff while doing Reiki.  I confess to having struggled with setting boundaries in my life and it was very validating to hear that you can’t do the healing for other people if they are not open to the energy.  It was nice to hear about the importance of self-Reiki and I am making more of an effort to incorporate it into my life every day.

The north node in Virgo has an underlying theme of service to others.  In that spirit of pursuing my path as a healer, I am channeling that north node and Jupiter in Virgo energy by offering my Reiki services. If you are in the Boston area, please consider getting a Reiki treatment at Acupuncture for Everyone in Copley Square to destress, revitalize and remove blockages to healing.  It’s a perfect way to start your weekend off and can also be described as a spa for the soul to boot!   Reiki is the most profound treatment for stress relief because it concentrates on CALMING your body. 

For more information on my Reiki services, please see this page on my site:


I have also recently become a member of the Fellowship of Massachusetts Energywork Practitioners.  It is a great resource for those seeking energyworkers.  Please feel free to check out this site at:


The link to my profile is below:



If you are contemplating an astrological reading to obtain more insight in your life, especially with the recent eclipses in March and all of the action in April with the recent new moon in Aries, upcoming full moon in Scorpio, not to mention Mars, Pluto and Mercury joining Saturn and Jupiter in the retrograde party, you can learn more about my menu of astrological services at:



Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter for my daily astrological insights at:



Friday, April 8, 2016

Prepare to Surrender for Maximum Healing as Mars Retrogrades



I think that many of us are still reeling from the effects of the Aries New Moon of April 7th in 18 degrees of Aries.  It had quite a buildup earlier in the week, especially on April 6th when the Sun in Aries squared Pluto in Capricorn.  On that day I tweeted:

“Aries sun squaring Pluto in Capricorn today has the potential for major power struggles.  Past conflicts could reemerge.”

I know that I have been pretty emphatic recently about how change is coming and that we need to embrace it. But the Sun Pluto square on April 6th also set off the infamous Uranus Pluto square of 2012-2015, so issues of control are bound to surface.  Uranus will also play its part in triggering the Uranus Pluto square on April 9th when it conjuncts the sun in Aries.  Those seven squares ruled the astrological climate for the first five years of this decade, and their effects are not going away anytime soon.

I think that I finally had an AHA moment this week when I realized that as much as I want change, I have no power to control how it will manifest in my life.  And that is one tough lesson to learn. I don’t do unpredictable very well, and a preponderance of planets in fire signs, especially a new moon in Aries aspecting both Uranus and Pluto tends to rock my fixed Scorpio core.  Saturn in Sagittarius was prominently featured in this new moon because it trined that new moon.  Trines are easy, flowing aspects, so it was definitely a good thing.  Saturn’s grounding influence should allow us to adapt to the massive changes that are coming a little easier.  But Saturn is also known for its delays and its endless need to test our faith.  

During the past week I have sensed a general slowing down of energy in my business.  I am still getting inquiries, but people are taking their time to consider what I have to offer them. This is not a new occurrence and in the past people have subsequently booked either Reiki sessions or astrology and tarot readings after an initial inquiry.  I’m trying not to take it personally, as I am well aware that Mars will be stationing retrograde on April 17th. It stations retrograde in 8 degrees of Sagittarius and winds up back in Scorpio on May 28th.  Mars stations direct in 23 degrees of Scorpio on June 29th and reenters Sagittarius on August 3rd.  The Mars retrograde is in my 2nd house, so no wonder I am feeling this way.  My values in addition to my finances are already feeling the hit. We all know that planets tend to slow down before the retrograde actually occurs which encompasses the shadow period.  When Mars stations direct in August it conjuncts my Venus in the 2nd house, so I expect that I will reap the harvest then.  I have implemented some changes in the services that I offer but I was very mindful to do so before Mars retrogrades.

Mars only retrogrades every two years, so it literally is a big deal when it happens.  What are the themes of Mars retrograde?  Well, the most important thing to remember is that when Mars is retrograde it tends to deplete vitality, so it is definitely not a good time to initiate new ventures.  Mars retrograde also cautions against buying anything mechanical if you can help it.  So don’t be surprised if computers break down or office machinery malfunctions.  Since Mars rules both Aries and Scorpio, these signs and anyone with planets in these signs will feel the effects.  But I would surmise, based on my own personal experience of coming to terms with the need to slow down and reassess, that Aries and Scorpio natives will find themselves having a little more patience to wait on circumstances, sitting back and reviewing matters in a more detached way.  This is where the concept of surrender comes into play.  It’s time to slow down and reevaluate so that healing can occur to pave the way for change.  There will be plenty of time and a sense of renewed vitality to initiate changes when Mars stations direct this summer.  If you don’t have a lot of Aries or Scorpio energy in your chart, conversely, you may feel more impatient to force matters to a conclusion.  This is NOT a wise move because if you do, things may fall apart.

Healing is very much on my mind these days because I am also attending a Celebration of Reiki conference on April 10th.  The moon will be in Gemini that day and I am looking forward to some lively conversation with a diverse group of healers.  I am certainly open to learning new things about Reiki and the healing process.

I would also like to include a post that resonated big-time for me from fellow astrologer Robert Ohotto’s site www.ohotto.com

“Healing has to be understood as a verb:

It is a constant process of retrieving our spirit from where it has been frozen, locked in a time warp, then releasing it into the moment, and that’s when you recover.”

Healing is a big component of my soul’s path and after undergoing a challenging Chiron square transit to my moon during the last couple of years, I am now able to feel more empowered by having transiting Chiron in Pisces trining my natal Venus in Scorpio and sextiling my natal Chiron in Capricorn for the next couple of years.  So I do think that Robert Ohotto definitely captured the zeitgeist of the current astrological climate. 

The north node in Virgo has an underlying theme of service to others.  In that spirit of pursuing my path as a healer, I am channeling that north node and Jupiter in Virgo energy by offering my Reiki services. If you are in the Boston area, please consider getting a Reiki treatment at Acupuncture for Everyone in Copley Square to destress, revitalize and remove blockages to healing.  It’s a perfect way to start your weekend off and can also be described as a spa for the soul to boot!   Reiki is the most profound treatment for stress relief because it concentrates on CALMING your body. 

For more information on my Reiki services, please see this page on my site:


I have also recently become a member of the Fellowship of Massachusetts Energywork Practitioners.  It is a great resource for those seeking energyworkers.  Please feel free to check out this site at:


The link to my profile is below:


If you are contemplating an astrological reading to obtain more insight in your life, especially with the recent eclipses in March and all of the action in April with the new moon in Aries, and Mars, Pluto and Mercury going retrograde, you can learn more about my revised menu of astrological services at:


Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter for my daily astrological insights at:




Friday, April 1, 2016

Change is Coming as Mercury and Venus Change Signs and New Moon in Aries




The month of April is starting off with a bang as both Mercury and Venus change signs on April 5th and we have a Super New Moon in Aries on April 7th.  Venus is moving from its place of exaltation in Pisces to one of its signs of detriment in Aries.  Venus, for the record, is in detriment in Aries and Scorpio, and is considered to be in fall in Virgo.  Venus in Aries will bring a completely different vibe to love and finances.  While Venus in Pisces is dreamy and oozing compassion, Venus in Aries takes a much more self-centered approach.  It has a very direct, blunt, spontaneous style.  This can be somewhat problematic but on the flip side, if you have been giving too much in your relationships, this is an excellent time to focus on getting your needs met.  Another constructive use of Venus in Aries is to act on what you are passionate about.

Mercury leaves Aries on April 5th and enters the earth sign of Taurus, where it will reside through June 12th due to the upcoming Mercury retrograde.  Mercury will station retrograde in 23 degrees of Taurus on April 28th, but it enters the shadow period on April 14th in 14 degrees of Taurus. Then Mercury will station direct on May 22nd in 14 degrees of Taurus.  Mercury in Taurus is all about communication becoming more measured and practical with common sense prevailing for the most part.  But beware of becoming too rigid in your thinking because Taurus is a fixed sign.  And we have a little over two months to acclimate to this energy.

The new moon in 18 degrees of Aries on April 7, 2016 is a Super New Moon to boot because the moon is closer to the earth and exerts a stronger pull on our psyche.  It is definitely going to be an action-oriented new moon because in addition to the sun and moon in Aries, Venus is in Aries, as well as Uranus and Eris, the goddess of chaos.  Some astrologers have gone so far as to describe Eris as an amped up version of Uranus.  And we have Mars and Saturn in Sagittarius, so there is an abundance of fire energy.  With all of these planets in fire signs, it is much easier to implement change.  We are also in the midst of a mutable T-square involving Jupiter in Virgo, Saturn in Sagittarius and Neptune in Pisces that is energized by Mars in Sagittarius.  This Mars action literally allows us to see the bigger picture so that we can implement change. This ongoing T-square is all about CHANGE because mutable energy adapts so well to change and literally encourages it.  Change can occur in the blink of an eye with this kind of energy.  And that cardinal Aries energy loves to initiate change.  Mark my words, if you have any planets or points in the cardinal signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn between 15-20 degrees, you are going to feel the effects of this new moon big time.  Change is coming, so don’t even think of resisting it. A major theme of this new moon in Aries is to live our truth in a brave new way because Aries is after all the sign of the warrior.

I am trying to embrace this energy because this new moon in Aries will be opposing my Libra ascendant and squaring my Cancer midheaven by integrating change into my business through implementing more variety in my menu of services.  Many of my clients purchase solar returns for a yearly tune up, but for those of you who can’t wait for your birthday, I can also do forecasts for three or six months.  So my world is expanding!  I am also offering shorter tarot readings in the form of one or two questions.  I am really excited to be offering distant Reiki treatments to my repertoire. So far these have been on existing clients, but a preliminary intake can be done by email or telephone and I tend to follow up a Reiki distant session with a phone call. Feel free to contact me at lindasim54@gmail.com if you are interested in any of these options. 

The north node in Virgo has an underlying theme of service to others.  In that spirit of pursuing my path as a healer, I am channeling that north node and Jupiter in Virgo energy by offering my Reiki services. If you are in the Boston area, please consider getting a Reiki treatment at Acupuncture for Everyone in Copley Square to destress, revitalize and remove blockages to healing.  It’s a perfect way to start your weekend off and can also be described as a spa for the soul to boot!   Reiki is the most profound treatment for stress relief because it concentrates on CALMING your body. 

For more information on my Reiki services, please see this page on my site:


I have also recently become a member of the Fellowship of Massachusetts Energywork Practitioners.  It is a great resource for those seeking energyworkers.  Please feel free to check out this site at:


The link to my profile is below:


If you are contemplating an astrological reading to obtain more insight in your life, especially with the recent eclipses in March and all of the upcoming action in April with the new moon in Aries, and both Mars and Mercury going retrograde, you can learn more about my menu of astrological services at:


Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter for my daily astrological insights at: